Quiet...

[Av8r3400]

Wow it's quiet around here lately.

I'm stuck on the ground while recovering from hernia surgery so I'm looking to you guys to fill my airplane urges.


Hasn't someone got something to work on or go flying for?? :o

[PapuaPilot]

I thought the same thing too when I checked the forum just now.

I was hoping to fly yesterday but we have an inversion sitting in the Treasure Valley now. It could be MVFR for over a week. :( Maybe I can go in the patten later, it is currently 1500' overcast and 10 miles.

I did get some work done yesterday on another project I bought this summer. I purchased a Wag-Aero Sport Trainer (Cub replica) with an O-200 that needs completely going through and recovering. It was in pretty rough shape after being outside on wheels, floats and skis since it was new in 2003.

This isn't a Cub forum, but it might stir up a discussion. I am thinking about painting it in red, white and blue and not it Cub yellow (Freedom Cub :)). Is that sacrilege?

[DesertFox4]

That happens this time of year. Holidays approach at mach 1 speed. Money for Av gas turns into money for presents. Shopping, traveling, holiday parties, end of year things you know.

Get well soon Larry. Hope the surgery went well and recovery is quick.

I had a status change on my Model 4 last month. It found a great new home up in Idaho. I guessing it will finally get that cockpit heater it never needed down here in Arizona.;)

Here are two photos sent to me about it's recent conversion to tail wheel configuration. I always wondered what the thing would look like with the little wheel on the other end. Pretty darn good I think. Should be a stellar back country machine. It's really amazing how versatile these Kitfox are.




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[Av8r3400]

(You better update that signature, Steve.)

Surgery went fine. Routine. Just on light duty restrictions for the next couple weeks.

I'm going to bring the Mangy into the heated maintenance hangar for condition inspection in the next week or so and get that done. Probably switch back to the "small" tires for ski operations this winter.

It's sometimes cool to see your baby moving on into a new life. A little sad too... I'm sure Cade is going to have a great time with that plane. I got this photo of my "ex" the other day in his new home...

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The paint on the cub looks neat, Papua. Should be a fun project.

A buddy of mine is building a PA-11/J5 experimental Cub Cruiser right now. (That's the cub with a wide backseat) He's putting an O320 in it. He's the same guy who built an Avid-Kitfox hybrid a few years back (heavily modified Avid C fuselage with a Kitfox SS wing and control system)

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[Jerrytex]

I'll take a stab at breaking the quietness.....

Here are some pretty cool pics from a flight the other night. This is a huge racetrack that they are using to store flooded cars from Hurricane Harvey. It takes months for the insurance companies to settle so they are just now starting to auction them off. I heard a rumor that movie companies from Hollywood buy up some that they use as props in movies so they can crash them up at a discount.

Hope your recovery goes well.

[efwd]

Wow, thats the biggest junk yard I have ever seen.
Glad to see folks posting again.
I will be finishing up the silver paint on the Struts today. Poly Tone is incredibly easy to get a good application with. On the flapperons I managed only one run that I will touch up today. I had sprayed the horizontal stabilizer carry through panels and obviously didn't get some oil or something off. Used MEK and it all came up like it was chocolate syrup with a Brawny towel. Started over. All fixed. My booth with fans is working sweet. I will likely get my wing tips painted and maybe engine cowl today. We will see.
Eddie

[Russell320]

I just changed the hard rubber tailwheel out for the pneumatic tire. I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.......it was kinda rough sounding on pavement. I stayed with the Maule wheel....just changed the fork out. Spruce has surplus Maule pneumatic wheels with 10” tires. Changed it out for the 8”.....and walla.....it was done. Flew it yesterday.......works great.....no shimmy. It is a half pound heavier...which is fine for this airplane.

Get well soon Larry......it almost flying season again up there(ha ha).

[Esser]

I’ve been waiting for a shipment from ACS since the 19th that is holding me up. I tidied up my CHT and EGT Harness and tried my hand at braiding to keep things neat. Other than that I’ve been sketching up multiple options for how I want to wire things.

[Av8r3400]

Very nice, Josh!

[AirFox]

Here are a few of this weekends flying adventures. We stopped in for lunch at Pacific City on the Oregon Coast. Couldn't help but land at a couple of gravel bars on the way to the coast. It's beautiful flying in the NW when it's not raining this time of year. Hope the pictures help with the recovery Larry. Phil the high pressure inversion over there helps blow air down the Columbia River George to clear out the fog.

Scott
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[DesertFox4]

Beautiful photos Scott.

[AirFox]

Thanks Steve! I need to get a Go Pro camera and put together some video of these spots.

Scott

[efwd]

Those are beautiful shots Scott. Thanks for sharing

[colospace]

Just got my January issue of AOPA Pilot magazine. Does the Kitfox on page 1 and later in the magazine belong to anyone on TeamKitfox?

[jiott]

Nice photos Scott!
I flew the same day and time as you, but instead of going West as you did I went North and had a much different experience. While going across PDX airspace traveling South after my trip to Chehalis-Centralia, I hit some very severe turbulence. It was due to my being lined up with the Columbia Gorge east wind that has been roaring thru the gorge for a week now at about 35 mph. I was at 1500' altitude and suddenly the rocking and rolling was so severe I had to hang onto the top cross brace tubing to avoid being thrown around the cabin. Stuff was flying up out of my behind the seat pockets and the baggage area, and 3 times I cracked my head on the skylight plexiglass so hard I thought it might crack (the plexi), even with the seatbelts fairly tight. My Dynon computer lady voice kept yelling "g's, g's". After about 10 minutes, maybe less, I got out of that gorge wind blast and all was smooth sailing. In the morning going North I experienced the same thing but it was much less severe, and smooth all the way North.

After landing and an inspection of the plane and stowing all the scattered gear, I found no damage whatsoever except maybe some small scratches on the overhead plexiglass. I now have a new respect for the strength and toughness of our Kitfoxes. The excellent control responses made it easy to react to the severe rocking and rolling in the turbulence.

[rv9ralph]

Desert Fox 4, If you watch Trent's latest VLOG "Kitfox almost repossessed my plane" you will see your former Kitfox about about the 8:45 mark into the video.

Ralph

[Dusty]

Things have picked up but I thought I would post some random photos from New Zealand

Southern Taildraggers now has a permanent home with the recent purchase of the hangar in the background.

KNZ is my aircraft I have made available for training. JFA is my personal aircraft. KIV is my brothers.

[Dusty]

JFA has cost me a lot of money recently. She has to earn her keep:rolleyes:

[Dusty]

Just some shots from a recent magazine shoot

[rosslr]

Some great stuff here!

Great pics Scotty! (notice the partner in crime in the background!)
Jim - what graphic description of what must have been a worry experience! I hate that stuff but also am amazed at the ability of the Ktifox - mostly after the event!

And great shots Dusty! are you actually based in Christchurch? And loved the photo in another post of "Oz somewhere over there!"!! Only talking today with a friend who has flown the ditch ...but cheeper and easier with the commercials!

thanks guys

r

[Dusty]

Ross,we are based in Rangiora (NZRT) which is 12nm north of NZCH.
Oz runways has you at 1228nm from here(300litres of fuel so non stop isn't an option).One of our club members flew a jab powered Alpi 200 to Aus via Norfolk

[rosslr]

Hi Dusty - yep, unless we can master in flight refuelling! I have a friend here who has done the NZ run via Norfolk a few times in his Mooney but I am not a big fan of that much water to cross. And he said the customs red tape was unbelievable - and there is a slight matter of howling winds at Norfolk Is and Lord Howe... and a point of no return that you have to commit to. I think I'll just say high on the next trip to Wanaka!

cheers

r

[David47]

Question for you Dusty: The wingtips on KIV in your photo - who manufactures them and what does this do to your brothers stall speeds, best glide speed etc ?. Never seen these on a KF before.

[jmodguy]

Steve,
I have to admit she looks more comfortable with a tailwheel!

[jmodguy]

Workin the cowl over the winter. Hope to have molds by Feb

[Dusty]

David
The wing tips are factory options as far as I am aware(KNZ) also has them.There was a discussion on this or possibly the other channel? I haven't flown without them except JFA which has a slightly higher weight so the numbers are higher.
Personally I wouldn't install them as they provide a perfect blind spot to hide an aircraft in,their advantage is they do look cool and would possibly be sacrificial in an epic ground loop.
Cheers
Dusty